


Ball

by AutisticWriter



Series: Chibi-chan and Tooru-nii [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ficlet, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, Orphan Hinata Shouyou, Pre-Canon, Presents, Sweet, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-06-02 09:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19438606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: Tooru gets sick of seeing Shouyou practising with a tattered old soccer ball, so he gets his friend a present.





	Ball

Whenever he meets up with Shouyou, Tooru always stares at the ball his friend carries. Not only is it an old soccer ball, but it’s tatty and faded, clearly getting worn from years of use. It probably wasn’t even new when Shou-kun got his hands on it, given how he wears hand-me-downs, so it could even be older than both of them. Of course, it still functions perfectly well, but…

He knows Shouyou never gets anything first hand. Living in an orphanage, all Shouyou has ever known is sharing and getting given hand-me-downs, and that extends to his belongings. He wants to help Shouyou out, but how does he do it without his friend thinking he is pitying him?

At home after he has done his homework, Tooru goes out into the yard and bounces a volleyball against the ground. The shed is full of volleyballs, and – wait a minute!

He’s got it! He can give Shou-kun a volleyball of his own!

\---

Grinning like a dork, Tooru spins the ball between his palms as he takes a steady walk away from school after volleyball practise. He took one of them to school this morning and shoved it in his shoe locker, getting weird looks from another kid, and hasn’t stopped spinning it since he went to retrieve it right before going home. It’s one of his newer balls, but has been used several times, so it’s not like he’s gone out and bought a brand new ball just for Shou-kun.

When he reaches their meeting place, Tooru holds the ball behind his back and wanders through the bushes. He finds Shouyou bouncing his battered soccer ball against the wall, his clothes, as always, far too big for him.

“Hey, Shou-kun!” Tooru says.

Shouyou spins around and hurries over. “Tooru! Hey, why are your hands behind your back?”

“Oh, I’ve got something for you.”

“A present?” Shouyou says, his eyes widening. “For me?”

“Uh huh.” And Tooru moves his hands and reveals the ball. As Shouyou stares at it, he finds himself babbling, “And, uh, it’s not brand new or anything so I don’t want you to think I’m pitying you because I’m not. I’m just sick of you using that crappy soccer ball instead of an actual volleyball so, you know. Here.”

And he thrusts the ball at Shouyou, going red at his cringe worthy little speech.

Shouyou takes the ball and studies it, spinning it between his palms just like Tooru does, and then looks up at him. “Tooru, you don’t need to look so embarrassed. I, I get it. You’re worried I’d think you were pitying you, right? Well, I don’t. And… I like that it’s one of yours. It seems… more personal this way. Tooru… thank you so much. I’ve never… uh, had a real present before.”

Tooru stares at his friend, hoping he’s not going to start crying, and swallows hard. “Um… you’re welcome, Chibi-chan. So… wanna practise with your new ball?”

Shouyou nods. “I sure do. But first…”

He darts forwards and gives Tooru a hug, arms around his back and face pressed against his chest. Tooru stiffens, realising this is their first ever hug, but quickly puts his hands on Shouyou’s back, hugging his tiny friend.

He didn’t expect a reaction like this, but he’s not complaining.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want me to write you a short fic, drop in a prompt at my [personal prompt meme](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/AutisticWriters_Personal_Prompt_Meme)!


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